The Bold Baths of Kohler

Steps from the Kohler factory, where all those shiny, sleek faucets, sinks, and toilets are designed and crafted, is an underground sanctuary, Kohler Waters Spa. Here is where serious spa-goers pilgrimage to soak in the signature tubs and partake of the rejuvenating treatments.

The village of Kohler, a six-hour drive from the Twin Cities, is equidistant from Green Bay and Milwaukee and a few miles west of Lake Michigan. With the exception of the rolling hills of Kohler’s four acclaimed golf courses, including an Irish links-style course, it is surrounded by flat farmland dotted with red barns and black-and-white Holsteins.

Kohler created The American Club in 1918 as a planned community—it was among the first in the country and now is one of the oldest—to provide its factory workers, many of whom were European immigrants, with quality living conditions. After a long day at the factory, the workers headed across the street to The American Club, where they ate well, slept in dorm rooms, and—the real luxury—had hot running water at any time of day. The Tudor–style building now serves as the main hotel with 237 rooms and anchors the other ivy-covered brick buildings and the rest of the grounds, which lie primarily along the main street, Highland Drive.

At times, it feels claustrophobic and too much like The Truman Show: The post office and police station sit next to The American Club, and mansions and modest homes are adjacent to the Inn on Woodlake and The Shops at Woodlake. When my husband and I walked to dinner at Cucina (at The Shops), we strolled down residential streets and passed a brightly lit field where kids were finishing up a midweek soccer game. And everywhere are reminders of why the village and its 1,900 residents are there—Kohler products are at every turn. The spa, all the guestrooms, and every public bathroom are outfitted with Kohler pieces; Baker furniture and Ann Sacks tile and stone—both lines are owned by Kohler—grace every room.

The Carriage House, situated next to The American Club, has fifty-four guest rooms and offers a personalized experience and extra touches, including complimentary breakfast, high tea, and apéritifs in the lobby. It is also where the spa is located, and, unlike guests staying at The American Club or the Inn on Woodlake, those at the Carriage House don’t pay extra to visit the spa for a workout, steam, or dip in the pool. Morning to night, robed guests ride the elevator down to the lower level and pad across the gleaming black-and-white marble floors and into their heaven.

We booked an Immersion Suite in the Carriage House, as most Kohler Waters Spa guests do. These spacious suites, decorated in a contemporary Eastern style, accommodate in-room spa services. The centerpiece of the open floor plan is a two-person whirlpool bath outfitted with chromatherapy, in which lights mounted inside the tub change color to induce different moods. If that isn’t your style, there’s also a stone shower with multiple showerheads in the bathroom.

The spa itself is reminiscent of an Eastern European bathhouse. After visitors pass through the marble reception area and beauty boutique, they head down a set of stairs to the relaxation pool, surrounded by chic white chaises, thick stone columns, and a cascading waterfall. From here, the women and men enter their respective areas of the spa through two separate locker rooms. With nothing but a robe to look after (the lockers have keypads, eliminating the need for annoying wristbands), it’s easy to lose yourself in the quiet retreat, where magazines, crisp apples, and chilled water are always within reach. In a ritual that’s said to boost the circulatory system, brave souls hop between the two plunge pools, one icy cold and one bath-water warm. The sauna and steam room loosen muscles—ideal after a long drive or before a treatment.

After sweating out toxins for an hour, I was ready for my first treatment, the Highland Fling. While I laid face up in a wet room (with face and privacy towels in place), a technician maneuvered a Vichy shower above me, and massaged my body with the warm water. Simultaneously, another technician drew warm water from a gleaming copper tub—I later found out it’s a Kohler product and costs more than $50,000—and threw buckets of the water over me. The sensation of water hitting my body from so many directions was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. Afterward, my skin was exfoliated with a mint-oil–and–coffee scrub, patted dry, and rubbed with a generous amount of chocolate-scented cream.

Following another dip in the pool, I was led into a tastefully appointed room for a Great Lakes Stone Massage, which features a new take on one of my favorite treatments. Using heated supersmooth stones gathered from the Great Lakes, the technician stroked my back and occasionally repeated the motion with an ice-cold stone. Once I let the rocks do their work, I relaxed, inhaling the hollyhock–scented oils and listening to classical music.

In a state of sleepy contentment after the massage, I took my robed self to the lobby, where I sipped a thick smoothie and devoured a house salad with avocado, blue cheese, chicken, tomato, and cucumber. Revived, I joined my husband, who, after a day on the links, had just finished his two treatments—the Executive Head Trip, during which warm oil was massaged into his head, neck, and scalp, and a male bathing treatment in which a soak in the RiverBath chromatherapy tub follows a Kohler WaterHaven shower.

So much pampering gets exhausting, and we were ready for a snooze. Instead of retreating to our suite, we headed to a room on the fourth floor of the Carriage House—a modern, lofted space with a hot tub, a roof deck for sunbathing, and an expansive wall of gas fireplaces that warmed the adjacent white chaises. Men and women come here together for a dip in the hot tub or to relax with a glass of wine or a cup of tea. For the most part, the guests curl up and read until they drift asleep.

After a day of plunging, steaming, bathing, and showering, it felt great to put on a dress and go out. We had a cocktail in The American Club’s Winery Bar, a sophisticated club-style lounge with nearly 400 wine vintages. Then we were ushered through The Immigrant Restaurant, a series of six rooms elegantly decorated to reflect the heritages of Wisconsin’s early settlers, to a romantic table in the back. The service was impeccable and carefully paced so we could enjoy the evening. My husband and I shared a savory lobster risotto, followed by wild boar tenderloin and filet mignon with seared foie gras. It was an indulgent ending to an extravagant day, and suddenly I was ready to retire—to our whirlpool tub. I couldn’t explain it to my husband, but I knew I needed one more fix before we left in the morning.

Kohler, Wisconsin, 920-457-8000

Kohler Design Center: Inspiration and Temptation This 36,000-square-foot space is a must-see. A museum on the lower level outlines the company’s history and documents decades of advertisements. The first-floor show room features an extensive array of working Kohler fixtures, tubs, and faucets. On the second floor, visitors walk through twenty-five kitchen and bathroom vignettes, which offer endless inspiration. Shoppers jot notes on clipboards and point out items that were in their suite or part of their spa treatment.

When You’re Not at the Spa Before Kohler was known for its spa, it was known for its golf courses, which were designed by Pete Dye and continue to receive praise. The two courses at Blackwolf Run are carved into a river valley, and Whistling Straits features the Irish links–style, walking-only Straits Course and the Irish Course. . . . The Shops at Woodlake has a market and a range of distinctive retailers and art galleries.

Where to Eat If you want something a bit more casual than the jacket-required Immigrant Restaurant, The Wisconsin Room, which was the original dining hall for the factory workers, offers a range of Midwestern fare. . . . At The Shops at Woodlake, Cucina serves a variety of Italian dishes in the lakeside space. . . . The Horse & Plow focuses on quality bar food and beer. Where to Stay Kohler offers several lodging options. Accommodations at both the 121-room Inn on Woodlake, near The Shops at Woodlake, and the original American Club range from $150 to $1,150. . . . An Immersion Suite at the Carriage House is a good choice for spa-goers, with rates from $250 to $925, which include breakfast, tea, afternoon cocktails, and the use of the spa (treatments are extra). Spa treatments are always in demand, so book well in advance.